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•Records/Rankings: MSU is 5-1 and ranked No. 3 in both major polls; Notre Dame is 6-0 and ranked No. 5 in both polls.

•Coaches: MSU — Tom Izzo is 549-221 in his 23rd season, all with the Spartans. Notre Dame — Mike Brey is 487-239 in 23 seasons, including 387-187 in 18 seasons with the Irish.

•Series: Notre Dame leads 60-35 all-time, but these programs have only met once since 1979. That was in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge three years ago in South Bend, which the Irish won, 79-78 in overtime.

Notre Dame

Pos.

Name

PPG

C (23)

Martinas Geben (6-10)

8.0

F (35)

Bonzie Colson (6-6)

20.0

G (0)

Rex Pflueger (6-6)

6.2

G (10)

T.J. Gibbs (6-3)

15.5

G (5)

Matt Farrell (6-1)

17.5

MSU

Pos.

Name

PPG

C (44)

Nick Ward (6-8)

13.8

F (2)

Jaren Jackson Jr. (6-11)

10.0

G (22)

Miles Bridges (6-7)

15.2

G (1)

Joshua Langford (6-5)

13.7

G (5)

Cassius Winston (6-0)

12.2

•Notre Dame update: The Irish were supposed to be good. They’re even better than anticipated. Notre Dame won the Maui Invitational by bludgeoning LSU and then beating eighth-ranked Wichita State, 67-66, and has one common opponent with MSU thus far, DePaul. The Irish opened the season winning 72-58 against the Blue Demons in Chicago. The Irish, per usual, won’t overwhelm you with blue-chip talent you’ve heard of since they were recruits. But Bonzie Colson might be a first-team All-American. He’s savvy, undersized power forward, with a 7-foot wingspan that allows him to play much bigger. Notre Dame is shooting 43 percent on 3-pointers this year and has turned the ball over only 52 times in six games.

•MSU update: The Spartans are coming off their best game of this young season, a 63-45 win over North Carolina to win their bracket of the PK80 in Portland. That win not only rekindled the buzz about this team, but it was also the first time this season that MSU played noticeable stretches of elite basketball. Miles Bridges is not expected to be 100 percent yet, after spraining his left ankle 11 days ago. He played efficiently, even if mostly below the rim, in two games at the PK80. The Spartans will get back Kenny Goins (knee) soon, if not against Notre Dame, adding to the depth and options on the wing and at power forward.

•About the matchup: There is no more compelling matchup Thursday than Bonzie Colson vs. Jaren Jackson Jr. at power forward. Colson is a bull of a power forward, who can score in the post or put the ball on the floor and drive it or knock down a jump shot. He’s crafty and seasoned. Jackson is five inches taller with a longer reach, but he also hasn’t defended anyone like Colson yet. This might work out for MSU similar to when Deyonta Davis guarded Wisconsin’s Nigel Hayes a couple years ago. But Colson is a superior player to Hayes. Matt Farrell makes the Irish go. He’s also a terrific 3-point shooter. Not quite at the level of his backcourt mate, T.J. Gibbs, who’s better than 50 percent through six games. The Spartans won’t be frazzled by a full-court defense that turns them over, but if they play a sloppy game, Notre Dame will make them pay.

•Prediction: Before the season, I thought MSU would drop this one. The Irish are a veteran squad with proven shooters and more talent than many people realize. But MSU showed me a gear Sunday that I hadn’t seen from them yet. And, if Jackson is trouble for Colson, Notre Dame might have trouble. This is a toss-up.